After three months of emergency field repairs, from November 1943 until mid-February 1944, Agano was finally able to leave Truk, albeit on only two of her four screws. In the course of repairs, 19 of her bulkheads had to be removed. She departed Truk on 15 February 1944, escorted by the destroyer Oite and submarine hunter CH-28, for the Japanese home islands where she was to be properly repaired, but could make only 16 knots. On the afternoon of 16 February 170 nautical miles (310 km) north of Truk the three vessels were spotted by the American submarine USS Skate (SS-305), which launched four torpedoes. Two struck Agano on the starboard side, flooding boiler rooms 3 and 5, and setting the ship ablaze. She remained afloat until the early morning of 17 February, allowing Oite to rescue 523 survivors from her crew of 726 men.[5] Agano sank at 10°11′N 151°42′E at 05:17 on 17 February